Researchers have unveiled a new technology that will help wind turbines run more efficiently, allowing them to bring in more energy more quickly and reduce wear and tear on the machines.
According to Interesting Engineering, scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have partnered with Renewable Energy Systems to create the Dynamic Yaw system for turbines.
Currently, turbines operate individually. This means there is a detailed analysis of how each turbine is performing, and each turbine can decide how it needs to position for maximum effectiveness, but there's no collective data or decision-making in real time.
Dynamic Yaw seeks to change that by bringing more automation to the process by which turbines move toward the wind. In other words, it accounts for the wakes of other turbines, potential short-lived turbulence that could waste time and energy moving turbines to chase, and other factors to maximize the efficiency of the wind farm.
"The 'Dynamic Yaw' technology will help wind asset owners optimize the overall output of their assets through better utilization of their data and subsequent autonomous action of the asset," RES VP of Digital Solutions Alex Bamberger said, per Interesting Engineering.
The new technology is so efficient that it is the equivalent of adding between one and three more turbines to a 100-turbine farm, according to the report.
Wind energy has been in a boom in recent years, as technology has continued to make leaps and bounds forward. MIT researchers have created new aerodynamic models for turbines to help improve efficiency, and floating, offshore wind farms dubbed "the future" of green energy have begun cropping up off the coast of the United Kingdom.
NREL also recently discovered a new, more recyclable material for building turbines, allowing the process to become more cyclical and less of a burden on resources.
Ultimately, NREL and RES believe that the new Dynamic Yaw technology will help push us closer to a greener future.
"This technology isn't a science project anymore," Bamberger said in a press release. "It's real and able to help customers reach net zero much faster."
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